New Top-Flight Women's Football Stadium For Brighton?

Football-loving councillors have backed looking for a site for a new stadium to bring top-flight women's soccer to the city.

Brighton and Hove Albion’s women’s team play in the Women’s Super League, but their home matches take place 22 miles away in Crawley.

Labour councillor John Hewitt asked for the council’s backing for a report to the Culture, Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Economic Development Committee on how the council can support the club to create a women’s stadium in the city.

Councillor Hewitt said:

"It is vital that the team relocates to the city so that the infrastructure is in place so that they can thrive.

"A purpose-built stadium for our team will allow attendance to improve, encourage participation and will enable the team to follow on in the footsteps of the men’s side.

"Imagine having two European Tours to go on in the same season."

Councillor Hewitt said an independent assessment released in August of this year revealed that the club contributed a staggering £595m to the local economy during their 2022/23 campaign.

Green and Conservative councillors put forward their ideas to support women’s football in the city during the council meeting on Thursday 19 October.

Green councillors Raphael Hill and Kerry Pickett asked for a report to include recommendations on how the council can continue to promote and encourage participation in women’s sport in the city.

Councillor Pickett described herself as a “lifelong” Albion fan, following the club from the Goldstone ground and Withdean days.

She said:

"Last weekend, their (women’s team) game at the Amex against Tottenham drew a crowd of just under 7,000 fans — including a large number of young girls keen to cheer on their heroes.

"I believe this level of support can and will increase. The curve, in terms of attendance and interest, will only grow."

Conservative councillor Samer Bagaeen proposed that the women’s team should play at the Amex rather than have a purpose-built stadium.

He said it took 12 years of finding land and building the stadium before Brighton and Hove Albion played at the Amex.

Councillor Bagaeen said:

"More recently, as a city, we’ve been unable to find the location for a new King Alfred.

"And if someone in this room thinks they have, then do tell us where that site is.

"So finding a new location for a women’s stadium in time for us to see the women’s team play in the city in our lifetimes is never going to happen."

Brighton and Hove Independent councillor Bridget Fishleigh said having spoken to people at the football club, many there had told her the council should “keep its beak out of their business”.

She said:

"What is the point of this? We offer our support, but we haven’t got any money or any land.

"Is it just we are giving them our support because they are working on a business plan to raise finance for it?"

Both the Green and Conservative amendments were lost.

The two parties voted with Labour for a report on how the council can support the club in establishing a women’s stadium in the city, including identifying possible sites.